A Root Cause Approach
How do you actually start to feel well? A root cause approach. Modern and allopathic medicine is focused on symptom management. If you no longer have a runny nose, you must not be sick, right? Managing and suppressing symptoms may make you feel better in the moment but over time, it can make you even more sick and lead to bigger issues. It’s really just a band-Aid. And yes, sometimes we need to be feeling better to be able to work on the root cause, but it should only be used to help further your true health. In this article, I will be focusing on general non-life threatening illnesses such as a cold, flu, and general bugs that we catch throughout the year.
We are all guilty of this. We start to feel better and immediately return to our regular routine, forgetting to look into why we got sick in the first place. We probably get sick again shortly after and/or the next time is worse.
I am currently sick so let’s use me as an example
There could be a number of reasons why I got sick. Let’s work backward.
I picked up a bug, but why was my immune system down? I worked myself into exhaustion, causing my immune system to be too stressed to fight off the bug. I got exhausted because I set myself unrealistic expectations and/or the stress of always having to be “productive” made me push too hard. I feel the stress of having to be productive because that’s what is modeled in our modern society which is based on a man’s hormone cycle and not women’s, thus we are not caring for our hormone cycles as we should. I am also a small business owner and that alone is a lot of stress when you are responsible for the success of your business and have to be hands-on with every aspect. Not having proper systems and support in place for my business lead to more stress. I am also not getting enough nutrients from our modern food. When I have a lot of work to do, the quality and quantity of my food go down and I make shortcuts to save time. Trying to find the right balance is stressful when it comes to reading all of the ingredients, making my own food from scratch, researching supplements and brands, trying to stay properly hydrated when our water is mineral-less, and trying to stay on top of the ever-changing “what foods are healthy” narrative.
This is 99% of the reason I get sick. It’s not from a lack of hand washing or sanitizing my home. It’s stress from overwork and lack of care for myself. It’s not always driven by having to be productive. Sometimes there are deadlines outside of my control or poor time managment. But I do have control over what happens leading up to the deadlines, so I could have properly managed my time so the stress didn’t impact me as much, or at least made sure I was properly nourished and getting enough sleep.
I’m not perfect, but I see the pattern. I am currently sick and I know why. Knowing why you got sick is so important, not only to prevent it in the future but to help you now. If I didn’t know I was sick because of being stressed and overworking, and then proceeded to mask my symptoms and keep going, what would happen? My illness would either drag out longer or come back quickly. I would deplete my body further and further (especially if I repeated the same steps next round of illness), eventually leading to serious damage and possible adrenal fatigue.
But since I know why I got sick, I can take this time to give my body what it needs. Rest, minerals, nourishing foods, sunlight, fresh air, time with my family. To be completely honest, I started to feel better a couple days ago but instead of waiting until I got completely better, I went back to pushing myself and my sickness came back full force. So here I am, sick again, and forced to slow down. It’s a lesson we are taught over and over. Sometimes I listen better than others, but our bodies are always talking to us. If only we could listen, we could know what it needs.
So here are my tips for when I get sick:
Before starting to dive into the “why”, I focus on comfort. A bit of light symptom management can go a long way. Make sure you have the good tissues if you are blowing your nose a lot, keep a teapot going, add extra minerals to your water (high-quality salt is an easy way), take a hot bath or shower to release some gunk, get your comfy spot prepped with your favorite pillows and blankets, and make some nutrient-dense snacks (I love soups and easy to digest foods since your body is already working hard to fight off whatever infiltrated your system).
REST! Read a good book, put on your favorite movie, or catch up on your YouTube watch list. I understand how hard it can be to rest when you feel like you need to be doing other things, but remember, the more you push the sicker you will be and the longer you will be down.
Once you do not feel so terrible, then you can start looking at the “why”. It makes me feel like an idiot when I work myself into illness and I know better, but it’s one of the lessons you have to learn over and over until it sticks.
Keep up with your minerals and herbs. Even once you start feeling better, do not stop your extra minerals and herbs. Many people will stop taking their herbs when they see signs of the illness retreating. This is a mistake. We have to keep supporting our immune system through the whole process and after we are better, that’s really when it needs our most support. Our immune system is so incredible and after it’s done its job, it needs to rest and be replenished just like us. I personally keep taking everything immune supporting for a week after the last symptom is gone, sometimes longer if it was a particularly strong illness.
If you narrowed down why you got sick (which is usually stress for most people), work on ways to manage that in your life. Incorporate soothing self-care practices, schedule in days off, add more minerals and sunlight to your day, and build a routine around prioritizing your health. You can find a lot of information and ideas around this in my e-book here. Also, try speaking with your friends and family about additional support and accountability.
It can be hard to rest, especially if you have kids and don’t work from home. Call in support and take time to fully get well.
And remember, you can’t pour from an empty cup.
Check my immune-supporting products here!
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
